The text discusses the emergence of Cloud Development Environments (CDEs) as a significant trend in software development, particularly in 2023. The author reflects on their experience since 2009 and how they've been immersed in this space, even co-founding a cloud development company. They wonder if CDEs are finally gaining traction after years of being overlooked. As they delve deeper, they discover increasing interest from industry analysts, leading technology firms embracing CDEs, and notable companies like Shopify, Stripe, Slack, Uber, and Airbnb successfully adopting them. The author finds validation in data and case studies from prominent players in the tech world, solidifying their belief that CDEs are indeed the future of development. They also highlight achievements by Uber and Airbnb with CDEs, further confirming their significance. Finally, they look forward to the next chapter: Development Environment Management (DEM), which will harness the full capacity of CDEs and push innovation and productivity to new heights.